Thin external memory unit with hard disk

Abstract

A disk unit has a recording medium disk; a head for reading and writing information on said disk; a first actuator for moving said head relative to said disk, said first actuator having no bearing structure; a second actuator for rotating said disk, said second actuator having no bearing structure; and a housing for housing said disk, said head, said first actuator and said second actuator.

We claim: 
     
       1. A disk unit comprising: a recording medium disk;   head means for reading and writing information on said disk;   first actuator means for moving said head means relative to said disk;   second actuator means for rotating said disk, said second actuator means including a stator and a moving portion movable with respect to said stator by interaction with said stator, said stator and said moving portion having no bearing structure therebetween; and   housing means for housing said disk, said head means, and at least a part of said first actuator means and said second actuator means, said stator being fixedly coupled with said housing means.   
     
     
       2. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said disk has a diameter approximately in a range of 51 mm. 
     
     
       3. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means and said second actuator means respectively have a thickness approximately in a range of 5 mm. 
     
     
       4. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said housing means has external dimensions, including a length approximately in a range of 55 mm, a width approximately in a range of 86 mm, and a thickness approximately in a range of 3.5 mm. 
     
     
       5. A disk unit according to claim 1, further comprising connector means, provided at a side face of said housing means, for electrical connection to transmit information to and from said head means. 
     
     
       6. A disk unit according to claim 5, wherein said housing means and said connector means have combined external dimensions, including a length approximately in a range of 55 mm, a width approximately in a range of 86 mm, and a thickness approximately in a range of 5.5 mm. 
     
     
       7. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said housing means and said connector means have combined external dimensions of thickness approximately in a range of 3.5 mm. 
     
     
       8. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of a circuit for controlling said first and second actuator means and processing said information is included in said housing means. 
     
     
       9. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said head means includes a recording-reproduction-separated type head having a recording portion for writing information on said disk and a reproducing portion for reading information from said disk. 
     
     
       10. A disk unit according to claim 9, wherein said disk has servo patterns formed thereon for detection and control of the position of said head means, and wherein said reproducing portion functions as a detector for reading said servo patterns. 
     
     
       11. A disk unit according to claim 9, wherein said disk has servo patterns formed thereon for detection and control of the position of said head means, and wherein said head means further includes a detection head for reading said servo patterns. 
     
     
       12. A disk unit according to claim 11, wherein said detection head includes an optical head. 
     
     
       13. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said disk includes a magnetic disk and said head means includes a magnetic head. 
     
     
       14. A disk unit according to claim 13, wherein said magnetic disk has servo patterns, formed thereon as changes of shape or changes of the magnetic characteristics, for detection and control of the position of said head means. 
     
     
       15. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said disk has servo patterns formed thereon for detection and control of the position of said head means, and wherein said servo patterns are not formed by magnetic recording. 
     
     
       16. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said disk has a magnetic film for vertical magnetic recording. 
     
     
       17. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said disk has a RAM area for reading and writing information by said head means, and a R0M area only for reading information by said head means. 
     
     
       18. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means includes an ultrasonic motor. 
     
     
       19. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said second actuator means includes an ultrasonic motor. 
     
     
       20. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means includes a voice coil motor. 
     
     
       21. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means includes a brushless motor. 
     
     
       22. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said second actuator means includes a brushless motor. 
     
     
       23. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means includes means for swinging said head means. 
     
     
       24. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means includes means for moving said head means linearly. 
     
     
       25. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means has a plurality of drive motors. 
     
     
       26. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means includes a stator fixed to said housing means and a moving portion movable by an interaction with said stator. 
     
     
       27. A disk unit according to claim 26, wherein said first actuator means further includes an arm connected at one end to said moving portion and a slider, provided at the other end of said arm, for supporting said head means while sliding over said disk. 
     
     
       28. A disk unit according to claim 27, wherein said head means is provided at a side face of said slider. 
     
     
       29. A disk unit according to claim 27, said moving portion and said arm are formed of an one-piece member. 
     
     
       30. A disk unit according to claim 26, wherein said stator has a circumferential surface and produces a progressive wave in the circumferential direction on said circumferential surface, wherein said moving portion includes a rotary member having a hole to fit said circumferential surface and being rotatable along said circumferential surface by said progressive wave, and wherein said stator and said moving portion constitute an ultrasonic motor. 
     
     
       31. A disk unit according to claim 26, wherein said stator has a flat surface of an annular shape and a progressive wave is produced in the direction in which the wave turns around along the center position of the flat surface of annular shape, wherein said moving portion includes a turning member which is in contact with said flat surface of annular shape and turns by being urged by said progressive wave, and wherein said stator and said moving portion constitute an ultrasonic motor. 
     
     
       32. A disk unit according to claim 26, wherein said stator has a stator portion as a member of a brushless motor, wherein said moving portion has a rotor portion as a member of said brushless motor, wherein said rotor portion is adapted to be connected to support means mounted outside said housing means and is rotatably supported by said support means when said rotor is connected to said support means. 
     
     
       33. A disk unit according to claim 26, wherein said stator has a stator portion as a member of a voice coil motor, wherein said moving portion has a swinging portion as a member of said voice coil motor, and wherein said swinging portion is adapted to be connected to a support means mounted outside said housing means and is rotatably supported by said support means when said swinging portion is connected to said support means. 
     
     
       34. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means includes a stator fixed to said housing means, a rotor rotatable by an interaction with said stator, an arm connected at one end to said moving portion, and a slider, provided at the other end of said arm, for supporting said head means while sliding over said disk. 
     
     
       35. A disk unit according to claim 34, wherein said arm has a hole of a substantially parallelogramatic shape, wherein said arm in a region around a hole thereof is formed in a shape determined so as to be subject to distortion such that a portion of said arm extending from said hole toward said slider moves relative to a portion of said arm extending from said hole toward said moving portion by an elastic deformation of the surrounding area of said hole of said arm when a driving force to expand said hole in the diagonal line of said parallelogramatical shape thereof is applied to said arm; and wherein said first actuator means includes means for applying said driving force to said arm. 
     
     
       36. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means includes a stator fixed to said housing means, a moving portion movable linearly by an interaction with said stator, an arm connected at one end to said moving portion, and a slider, provided at the other end, for supporting said head means while sliding over said disk. 
     
     
       37. A disk unit according to claim 36, wherein said first actuator means includes a support member, connected integrally with said housing portion, for supporting said moving portion, said moving portion being capable of such an elastic deformation as to move said moving portion linearly, and guide means for guiding said moving portion so as to move linearly. 
     
     
       38. A disk unit according to claim 36, wherein said arm has an elastic deformation portion, wherein said elastic deformation portion capable of elastic deformation such that a portion of said arm located on the slider side, that is, opposite the side of said elastic deformation portion moves in the moving direction of said moving portion relative to a portion of the arm located on the side of said elastic deformation portion and adjacent to said moving portion, and wherein said first actuator means further includes means for applying a driving force to said arm so as to subject said elastic deformation portion to said elastic deformation. 
     
     
       39. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said stator has a circumferential surface and produces a progressive wave traveling in the circumferential direction on said circumferential surface, wherein said moving portion includes a rotating member having a hole to fit in with said circumferential surface and turns around on said circumferential surface by said progressive wave, and wherein said stator and said moving portion constitute an ultrasonic motor. 
     
     
       40. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said stator has a flat surface of an annular shape and produces a progressive wave turning around along the center of the annular shape on said flat surface, wherein said moving portion has a rotating member in contact with said flat surface of said annular shape and turning around by said progressive wave, and wherein said stator and said moving portion constitute an ultrasonic motor. 
     
     
       41. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said stator has a stator portion as a member of a brushless motor, wherein said moving portion has a rotor portion as a member of said brushless motor, wherein said rotor portion is adapted to be connected to a support member outside said housing means and is rotatably supported by said support means when said rotor portion is connected to said support means. 
     
     
       42. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said moving portion of said second actuator means is a rotor movable with respect to said stator. 
     
     
       43. A disk unit according to claim 2, wherein said first actuator means and said second actuator means respectively have a thickness approximately in a range of 3.5 mm. 
     
     
       44. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means includes first driven means, adapted to be connected operatively to first driving means, for moving said head means relative to said disk by being driven by said first driving means when connected to said first driving means, and said second actuator means includes second driven means, adapted to be connected operatively to said second driving means, for rotating said disk by being driven by said second driving means when connected to said second driving means. 
     
     
       45. A disk unit according to claim 44, wherein said housing means houses said first driven means of said first actuator means and said second driven means of said second actuator means, said first driving means and said second driving means being provided exteriorly of said housing means. 
     
     
       46. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means has no bearing structure. 
     
     
       47. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means includes a stator and a moving portion movable with respect to said stator, said stator and said moving portion having no bearing structure therebetween. 
     
     
       48. A disk unit according to claim 1, wherein said first actuator means and said second actuator means respectively have a thickness of 3.5 mm. 
     
     
       49. A disk unit comprising: a recording medium disk;   head means for reading and writing information on said disk;   first driven means, adapted to be connected operatively to first driving means, for moving said head means relative to said disk by being driven by said first driving means when connected to said first driving means;   second driven means, adapted to be connected operatively to second driving means, for rotating said disk by being driven by said second driving means when connected to said second driving means; and   housing means for housing said disk, said head means, said first driven means and said second driven means;   wherein said first driving means and said second driving means are provided at the outside of said housing means, and   wherein said first driven means and said second, driven means each have no bearing structure.   
     
     
       50. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said disk has a diameter approximately in a range of 51 mm. 
     
     
       51. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said first driven means and said second driven means each have a thickness approximately in a range of 5 mm. 
     
     
       52. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said housing means has external dimensions, including a length approximately in a range of 55 mm, a width approximately in a range of 86 mm, and a thickness approximately in a range of 3.5 mm. 
     
     
       53. A disk unit according to claim 49, further comprising connector means, provided on the side face of said housing means, for electrical connection to transmit information to and from said head means. 
     
     
       54. A disk unit according to claim 53, wherein said housing means and said connector means each have combined external dimensions of thickness approximately in a range of 3.5 mm. 
     
     
       55. A disk unit according to claim 53, wherein said housing means and said connector means have combined external dimensions, including a length approximately in a range of 55 mm, a width approximately in a range of 86 mm, and a thickness approximately in a range of 5.5 mm. 
     
     
       56. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein at least a part of said circuit for processing information is included in said housing means. 
     
     
       57. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said head means includes a recording-reproduction-separated type head having a recording portion for writing information on said disk and a reproducing portion for reading information from said disk. 
     
     
       58. A disk unit according to claim 57, wherein said disk has servo patterns formed thereon for detection and control of the position of said head means, and wherein said reproducing portion also functions as a detector to read said servo patterns. 
     
     
       59. A disk unit according to claim 57, wherein said disk has servo patterns formed thereon for detection and control of the position of said head means, and wherein said head means further includes a detection head to read said servo patterns. 
     
     
       60. A disk unit according to claim 59, wherein said detection head includes an optical head. 
     
     
       61. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said disk includes a magnetic disk and said head means includes a magnetic head. 
     
     
       62. A disk unit according to claim 61, wherein said magnetic disk has servo patterns, formed thereon as changes in shape or changes in the magnetic characteristics, for detection and control of the position of said head means. 
     
     
       63. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said disk has servo patterns formed thereon for detection and control of the position of said head means, and said servo patterns are not patterns formed by magnetic recording. 
     
     
       64. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said disk has a magnetic film for vertical magnetic recording. 
     
     
       65. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said disk has a RAM area for reading and writing information by said head means, and a ROM area only for reading information by said head means. 
     
     
       66. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said first driven means has a shaft member rotatably supported by said housing member; and wherein said shaft member is adapted to be connected operatively to said first driving means, and rotates by being driven by said first driving means when connected to said first driving means. 
     
     
       67. A disk unit according to claim 66, wherein said first driven means further includes an arm connected at one end to said shaft member, and a slider, provided at the other end of said arm, for supporting said head means while sliding over said disk. 
     
     
       68. A disk unit according to claim 67, wherein said head means is provided on a side face of said slider. 
     
     
       69. A disk unit according to claim 67, wherein said arm has a hole of a substantially parallelogramatic shape, wherein said arm in a region around a hole thereof is formed in a shape determined so as to be subject to distortion such that a portion of said arm extending from said hole toward said slider moves relative to a portion of said arm extending from said hole toward said moving portion by an elastic deformation of the surrounding area of said hole of said arm when a driving force to expand said hole in the diagonal like of said parallelogramatical shape thereof is applied to said arm; and wherein said first actuator means includes means for applying said driving force to said arm. 
     
     
       70. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said second driven means has a shaft member rotatably supported by said housing member, wherein said shaft member is adapted to be connected operatively to said second driving means, and rotates by being driven by said second driving means when connected to said second driving means. 
     
     
       71. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said first driven means and said second driven means each have a thickness approximately in a range of 3.5 mm. 
     
     
       72. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said housing means has external dimensions of thickness approximately in a range of 3.5 mm. 
     
     
       73. A disk unit according to claim 49, wherein said first driven means and said second driven means each have a thickness of 3.5 mm.